Meine Herren,
I'm looking for an adaptor so I can fit my car rim to the rear of the BM. They do make an enormous difference to roadholding and tyre life etc. Does anyone happen to know where I could either find one to buy, or find someone who might be able to make me one? Any advice gratefully received.
Sean.

I've sometimes seen some on eBay.de
But you also can consider mounting a wide BMW motorcycle wheel (5.5x17, or a R1200C wheel 4"x15 ) that will accept car tyres.
Or do it yourself, it's not a very technical part to realise: a cylinder with 4 holes reproducing the pattern of the rear drive, 4 other between reproducing the wheel pattern.
On my K1, a 6" rim does not fit because of the left tray that bumps into the tyre, but on normal K, you should be able to use this dimension.

JBT have a read of this https://www.dropbox.com/s/d52wky2uyymllr2/Comparison%20MC%20tyres%20Car%20tyres.pdf?dl=0
It is why Sean doesn't want to use a car tyre on a motorcycle rim.

have sent a message to slow phil seanii ...hope he also has some ideas or a contact

Check this mob out Sean they have a very good reputation, but along with that goes a price. https://www.drwheels.com.au/

Thanks Charlie, JBT and Rick.
Rick, I'll get in touch with those guys after the break and see what they can do. Charlie, I'll be interested to see what happens with Slow Phil, too.

Yes, I'd prefer to put a car tyre on a car rim. I have a car tyre on the stock rim of my Rocket III but that's a different kettle of fish, the way the rim is constructed and the size of it. I actually use a narrower profile tyre ( 225)on it than the standard one ( 240). A lot of Rocket III owners run car tyres on their solo bikes, which I find terrifying. lol. It's a quest for a few miles wear out of them... ( 30,000 vs 3,000 km). I ride regularly with a mate who has one and following him is an exercise in fear I reckon but he doesn't have an issue with it.   Riding behind, I can see the tyre look like it wants to roll off the rim, which is a bit disconcerting! Over time though, I have begun to realise his riding style is a bit weird as hell different as well. Flat out up the straights then get off and catch a taxi round corners. He still does fast point to point times however, because of the sheer grunt of the Triumph. I'm too lazy to ride that way.

It's also possible to machine out the centre of a Smart car wheel to take the original hub of the K wheel. It's a popular mod here for sidecar tugs - the guy I went to India with did it to his K1100 and made it look easy.

Forgot to mention this earlier...
I don't have the tools/facilities or skill set to machine my own stuff here.

no luck from slow phil  ...he sold it on ...

Thanks anyway, Charlie. Was good of you to ask.

I have an idea... seriously. Can you get Smart car wheels in Oz? I just talked to my mate and he says that all you need to bolt the Smart car wheel to the existing K100 (K1100 in my previous post was a fat-finger) hub is an adaptor plate - there's no machining of the existing parts involved. He thinks he still has the drawings and yes, if so, he'd be amenable to machining another adaptor. He's going to check for the drawings when he gets home. It can't be FOC because he's self-employed and the machining will eat into his work time. Also, I have no idea what the shipping to Oz would be.

The alternative is that I ask him nicely for the drawings and send you a copy to get the plate made there.

Any help?

I have a 15" VW rim which takes a 165 tyre that Ed sold me with the sidecar. I know that this works well with the K100 so I think I'll try and stick with that for now. Thanks for your thoughts on the matter though, Dai. 

Does someone out there have a rear wheel adaptor that they can take some photos of for me?
All help greatly appreciated.
Sean.

Is the VW wheel a 4 or 5 stud wheel

Couple of teasers for you
I have to mount it on a bike to split the adapter and wheel but I wont have time until next week when I get back from Phillip Island
If you haven't had any luck by then quite happy to take more detailed photos then

Maybe my eyes are out of wack. But in the first picture the adaptor does not appear to be centred.   
Regards Martin.

MartinW wrote:Maybe my eyes are out of wack. But in the first picture the adaptor does not appear to be centred.   
Regards Martin.

Just the photo is not taken from dead centre

Rick it's a 4 stud rim.
Packo, I'd be pleased if you could take some photos when you get the chance. There aren't a lot of sidecar owners on here these days.
Cheers,
Sean.

I shall consult my CAD program and see if it comes up with a good design.

That'd be great! Thanks Rick.

Years ago, I sent a sub-frame and a car wheel adapter in Aussieland. The problem is that I don't remember to which member I sent it. It may have been to Alby but not sure about it.

CF,
I believe Alby has been unwell and is also busy with his married life with Nicki. Perhaps one day he will return to the forum more regularly and put some more miles on his K outfit if he still has it? Charlie would know more.

I had the hub adaptor for a while, I got it from Col. Alby did have some drawing on here somewhere

Waz, do you know where it ended up?

Melbourne still on bike I think. I will look for his number

Oh well.

Does this help?





It is an adapter to fit a Smart wheel on a K75. Four holes on the bike, three holes in the Smart wheel.

Smart cars arent common in OZ.  But you could probably find a wheel eventually.  VWs are easy and steel is good anyway.

Al

Halflive,
Thanks for taking the trouble to post those pics. Interesting
As I already have the VW rim,  I'll be working with that. It's one I have experience with in the past and I know it works well.
In the meantime I'm plugging away... getting the sidecar slowly ready and tidying up the biek before I try starting it.
Should be ready by Christmas.
Which Xmas though,... I am unsure.

Excellent pics, thanks PAcko.

Packo I Forgot to ask:
Did you make this up yourself, or did you have it made? Any estimate in regards to cost?

No, it came with an outfit I bought
I have an idea someone on here wanted to get one a few years ago and it was several hundred $$$ but don't quote me on that
Might be an idea to post a request on the ADV rider forum in the "Hacks" section as well, you never know what it might turn up

Yeah, those are the kind of skills I'd like to have.
Instead I have a degree in languages. Handy for translating those pesky BMW ads.....

Crazy Frog wrote:Years ago, I sent a sub-frame and a car wheel adapter in Aussieland. The problem is that I don't remember to which member I sent it. It may have been to Alby but not sure about it.

No.. It was not me.  I got mine made by Boxer Metal.

I don't know whether you have one where you are located. But we have a local pioneer village called Old Petrie Town. Amongst the various old houses and shops are quite a few trades run by retired tradesmen. They have a casting plant, a blacksmith, a woodshop, steam shop and a metal shop. I am going to join the metal shop in 3 months when I retire. The metal shop has all the required machinery and includes a couple of lathes a turret mill and a CNC machine. I was talking to one of the members who also has a 3d printer and undertakes 3D printing jobs.The joining fee is $30.00 Au per year, there are tradesmen available willing and able to teach you how to run the various machines. I've already had the casting plant do a job for me, for a reasonable price.
All the trades will undertake one off jobs for a price, or you can join which is probably cheaper and pick up some new skills.
Regards Martin.

MartinW,
I don't think I've got anything like that where I live( small country village). There's a men's shed here though... I can always go and see if they can point me in the right direction.

Hey ALby, long time no see!

Sean
Have you had any luck finding adaptor? I just sent BSA wheels a message, they seem keen to make one for mine.

Hello Waz!
No I haven't yet, mate. Life getting in the way etc. I doubt we'll find one ready-made anywhere second hand, as people tend to hang onto them.
Let me know how you go with your search.

How's the project coming along? Any pics?
 
Things have been busy of late but I hope to paint the sidecar fuselage over the next week or so. Then I have to look at fitting the chair to be bike... getting the bike to run properly ...oh and... maybe get some brakes working Hehe;

Cheers
 Sean

Just food for thought. 15" rim bolted onto a cutdown bike wheel (yamaha in this case). Might be something you could do with a BMW wheel.

I sent this diagram to Tom and he was kind enough to have it 3d printed to see if it all fits. It does fit a smart car front wheel, the rear is a different size. Don't ask me how I know. This diagram fits the front wheel from smart car fortwo. Had to remove rear guard and rear brake caliper until wheel is in place then refit caliper but it fits. Now to get a metal one made.

Looking good Waz, do you have someone to make it in metal?

There is possibly a retired fitter machinist in Bowral that likes to play with BMWs that's been known to make a few bits and bobs. Gonna see him next Wed(BMWTC meeting)

Al

Thanks Al,
I have no one organized, could you please ask if he is interested

At this end Steve Mepham and i are still waiting for our subframes to be completed. After that we intend to remove his rear wheel which has an adaptor attached, to use as a template so we can get a couple made.
Life keeps getting in the way... the bike with the adaptor on it is the one away being used to make the sub frame, so we have to wait for its return etc
Also, all the bushfire emergencies up this way are taking up the guy who is making the subframes time...he is an air co-ordinator for the RFS....
Progress is slow...but all good things come to those who wait....

I hope


fervently..

Waz wrote:I sent this diagram to Tom and he was kind enough to have it 3d printed to see if it all fits. It does fit a smart car front wheel, the rear is a different size. Don't ask me how I know. This diagram fits the front wheel from smart car fortwo. Had to remove rear guard and rear brake caliper until wheel is in place then refit caliper but it fits. Now to get a metal one made.

Waz, I've given the drawings to Woz.  He said his lathe can handle it, he wants to have a look at the drawings first.

Al

Thanks Al
Ahh Woz is the machinist.

This is what we are looking for, a friend picked this one up in Victoria at a swap meet, the guy we have making other bits said he would need a $2,000 od dollar chuck for his lathe to reproduce this, surely some-one knows where this came from... we have one we need 2 more made to suit 15 in VW rim.

So it looks like we're back to square one?
What about you, Waz? Did you end up getting something made?